Family of Eugene resident killed by police to conduct independent inquiry

Christian Hill @RGchill

Tuesday

Jan 15, 2019 at 11:54 AMJan 15, 2019 at 10:21 PM

Family members of Charles Landeros said through their attorney Tuesday that they'd conduct an independent review of last week's fatal shooting of the 30-year-old Eugene resident in front of Cascade Middle School.

Landeros' mother Bella, brother Joseph and partner Ariel, who declined to provide her last name, joined their attorney, Lauren Regan, at a press conference that occurred five days after the deadly shooting by Eugene police. Regan spoke on the family members' behalf; they all declined to comment.

"Time and time again, we have seen that police are unable to independently evaluate fellow police officers and their actions," said Regan, executive director of the Civil Liberties Defense Center. "For accountability and transparency, the family believes it's important that this investigation be reviewed by outside experts."

Family members also asked to immediately be able to view video footage of the shooting captured by any surveillance cameras at the school and body cameras worn by officers involved in the incident. They requested access to all reports generated during the investigation as soon as they become available.

In addition, they requested officials immediately release Landeros' body to them. In a written statement, the family called the delay in doing so "cold-hearted and disgraceful."

"They've not been able to move forward with the grieving process and pay their respects," Regan said.

Regan said it's too early to say whether the family would file a lawsuit related to the shooting.

The press conference came as Police Chief Chris Skinner and city officials sought to reassure the community in the wake of a high-profile deadly shooting of a person of color.

On Monday, Skinner met with some community members during a meeting he arranged in concert with the city's office of Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement. Through a police spokeswoman, Skinner declined comment, saying he and the group had an agreement and he doesn’t wish to violate that trust.

Neither a representative of the office nor the chairman of the city Human Rights Commission returned phone messages seeking comment.

Mayor Lucy Vinis addressed the shooting during Monday night's City Council meeting after several speakers were critical during the public comment period about the lack of information being released.

"We share your distress over this," she said, outlining the various investigations and reviews that stem from an officer-involved shooting. "I appreciate the anxiety, the fear, the impatience and the desire for answers ... and there will more information to follow."

An interagency law enforcement team that examines all officer-involved shootings in Lane County is continuing its investigation. Eugene police have referred all questions about the investigation to the Lane County District Attorney's Office.

An Oregon law enacted in 2007 requires investigators who are independent of the involved agency to conduct deadly use of force investigations. Both the city of Eugene and Lane County adopted the guidelines under the law the following year.

Lane County District Attorney Patty Perlow declined comment Tuesday when asked about the family's requests and statements, as well as the status of the investigation.

"It is very important that the investigation not be compromised by the release of information before the interviews are complete and evidence is gathered," said Perlow in an email, repeating a statement she made a day earlier.

Perlow ultimately will decide whether the use of deadly force was justified under state law once she receives the results of the team's investigation. The police department will then launch an internal review to determine if the involved officers complied with its policies and procedures.

Regan said Landeros' partner has been briefly interviewed by law enforcement, but the investigative team has not reached out to her to coordinate any additional interviews with family members.

A law enforcement official said police were called to the school in west Eugene around 10:30 a.m. Friday following a report of a custody dispute. As Landeros was being escorted from the school, the official said, the Eugene resident pulled out a handgun and was fatally shot during the ensuing struggle. Two officers were involved in the incident.

Regan said Landeros recently enrolled a daughter at Cascade Middle School, the same school Landeros attended more than a decade earlier. The school contacted Landeros to come to the school to discuss "an issue related to custody," she said. Regan said she couldn't confirm what prompted the school's request.

Speaking generally, a Bethel School District spokesman said it's the district's practice to bring in police in "determining next steps" if there's a disagreement among divorced parents about their rights in a school setting under an approved parenting plan or in situations where there is no plan. The spokesman would not confirm or deny whether the school called police ahead of Friday's shooting.

The family also requested that the city's independent police auditor designate Landeros' death as a "community impact case."

Regan encouraged the designation so the board can examine the "startling disparity" between police shootings of white and nonwhite residents in the community.

"We have seen systemic racism by law enforcement both in our own community and around the country and I hope that it is a factor that is heavily considered as the investigation continues and unfolds," she said.

The designation gives the board additional authority that it doesn't have in a typical case. It can direct the police department to reopen its internal review if members conclude the inquiry was incomplete or that the adjudication isn't supported by the evidence. Again, such a step would only relate to the internal review; the board has no authority to direct the reopening of a criminal investigation.

Landeros, a community activist and military veteran, is a person of color; Landeros had Filipino and Mexican parents, Regan said.

Asked specifically if race may have been a factor in the shooting, Regan responded that the "family has an understanding that racism plays a part in all aspects of law enforcement."

"The statistics really speak for themselves. ..." she continued. "When you look at the rate of individuals killed by law enforcement, racism is inherent in those statistics."

After graduating from Willamette High School in 2006, Landeros enlisted in the Army. Landeros served as a UH-60 transport helicopter crew chief and mechanic and served on hundreds of missions during at least one combat deployment before receiving an honorable discharge, the attorney said.

Regan said she had no information that Landeros was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or a brain injury as a result of the military service.

The law office provided no further details about Landeros' military service, and The Register-Guard couldn't independently verify that information Tuesday.

After leaving the Army, Landeros returned to Eugene and attended the University of Oregon through the GI Bill. Landeros was a campus organizer that worked to dismantle racism and authoritarianism, Regan said.

Regan would not confirm or deny whether Landeros had a concealed handgun permit or whether Landeros often carried a firearm in public. State law generally prohibits the release of records or information that identifies a resident as a current or former holder of such a permit.

Generally, state law allows K-12 schools and public colleges and universities to prohibit employees from carrying firearms on campus, even if the employee holds a state concealed weapons permit. However, schools can’t prohibit a nonemployee who holds a concealed handgun permit from carrying a firearm onto campus.

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